Cracked, But Not Broken
by nebbyJen
Summary: Radek is seeing things. Just what is real?


**Cracked, But Not Broken** by NebbyJen

Summary: Radek is seeing things. Just what is real?

Season/Spoilers: Two and none.

Rated: K (Humor / H/C / Friendship)

Archived: The Jumper Bay, SGAHC, Fanfiction

Disclaimer: Atlantis is not mine. Not betaed. I did catch one error before putting it here. I really hope there aren't anymore.

SG: A

"Look out!"

That was the last thing Radek remembered hearing before a body numbing slam knocked into his lower back, causing him to tumble head first over the railing in the jumper bay, to land on the hard floor below. And then his world went dark.

SG: A

"What did you do?"

Radek blinked several times, trying to discover the direction of the voice. When a sharp poke nailed him in the bicep, he carefully shifted his head to the right and discovered Rodney frowning down at him.

Wait a minute, why was he looking up at the irritable scientist glaring down at him in the first place. Pushing up on an elbow, he glanced around at his surroundings, ignoring the tapping foot near his side, and discovered himself to be in an unfamiliar room, surrounded by large potted plants, while lying on lush deep red carpet, and inhaling the smell of unfamiliar pungent odors.

"What happened?" he asked groggily.

"That's what I was asking you? One second you were saying, 'Look at this, McKay'," Rodney mimicked perfectly. "And the next time I see you, you're laid out cold like a stiff on a slab."

That only garnered a deep frown from Radek. He made it up on to his knees, and ignored the sticky pastry hand proffered out to him in a gesture of help. Still confused, he forced himself to his feet and stared at their surroundings. "Where are we?"

This time McKay snorted in disgust and took another bite from the large gooey cinnamon roll that he carried. "You were drinking, weren't you? Am I here to babysit you through the entire convention? For crying out loud, Zelenka, what would Weir do if she discovered you toasted on our first day here?"

"Convention?" None of this was making any sense. And now that he could see straight again, he stared at Rodney and tried not to laugh. "What is that you are wearing on your head?"

Rodney preened, fingering the pink rubber cap snapped tightly over the top of his head. "Do you like it? Kava told me that all the scientists are wearing them here."

The smaller scientist swallowed, or at least tried to, but found his mouth uncharacteristically dry. "Who is Kava?"

"That's it," Rodney huffed irritably, grabbing Radek by the arm and tugging him across the room. "I'm taking you to Beckett. You'd better pray we aren't interrupting his pool time."

"Pool time?"

Another louder huff from Rodney was the only thing heard as they stepped aboard a shiny silver elevator, the doors sliding smoothly closed behind the pair.

Trying one more time, Radek tugged his arm free and turned to face Rodney. "McKay, where are we? What convention? I do not understand." Before Rodney had a chance to stop him, Zelenka reached up and ripped the rubber cap off, tossing it to the floor.

"Hey!"

"It was making me sick to look at."

"You're just jealous," Rodney snapped back, trying to reach around to the floor and rescue his cap.

A growing headache was forming in the back of Radek's skull and he closed his eyes. "It is swimming cap, makes you look stupid."

The elevator dinged loudly, announcing they'd reached their floor, before the doors slid back open and a heated blast of humidity enveloped their faces.

Rodney stepped out, his pink cap gripped firmly in his hand. Discovering that he was alone, he turned around and snapped his fingers impatiently. "I don't have all day. I want to get back to the convention, so are you coming, or what?"

Taking a hesitant step out, Radek's eyes traveled up to stare at a colorful pair of trapeze artists swinging from several bars high overhead. Back and forth. Back and forth. Watching the motion was making him dizzy and an uncomfortable queasy feeling was beginning to stir in his stomach. "Rodney," he whimpered, his once dry mouth now filling rapidly.

One look at the Czech and Rodney got the idea of what was about to happen. "This way," he grunted, pulling the smaller man through the room, past a deep blue swimming pool that took up well over half of the floor space. When he felt Radek balk, he turned to see what brought his friend to a halt.

"Wraith in the pool," Radek whispered urgently, his eyes wide with fear as he tried to hide behind one of the large fern plants.

"Of course there are wraith in the pool." Rodney was quickly losing patience. "They are the ones who setup the convention."

"Convention? Wraith?" The room began to spin faster, his headache pounding harder behind his ears.

"Radek?" Alarm replaced Rodney's usual irritability as he reached out and caught the scientist before he fell to the floor. "Just hang on, Carson's almost here."

Down on all fours, the top of his head resting on the floor, Radek gasped his way through another swell racing through the pit of his stomach before it seared its way up his back. Feeling someone's hands support his arms, he dared to open his eyes and found Rodney on his knees at his side.

"Carson's coming," the chief scientist kept saying, but Radek wasn't really listening. He was focused on two naked wraith clinking glasses of champagne while sitting in a hot tub. The ring of the glassware vibrated through his skull and pushed him over the edge.

SG: A

"Radek."

He ignored the voice, afraid of what he might see if he dared to open his eyes, but had to acquiesce when the speaker persisted.

"Radek, you're in the infirmary, lad. It's time to wake up."

"Carson?" he mumbled.

Someone placed a hand on his shoulder. "Aye. So you've decided to rejoin us. It's about bloody time."

Images flashed behind his closed lids that made no sense. "Why were wraith in hot tub?"

"I'm sorry, lad. Did you say wraith in a hot tub?"

A garbled choke erupted from the other side of his bed before a tepid spray of wetness hit his arm.

"Rodney," Beckett warned, but it was already too late.

"Are you sure he's alright? No brain damage? I mean, the hit and the fall sounded painful. You sure he didn't rattle something loose?"

"I can hear you," Radek mumbled, slowly raising one hand to rest over his eyes. The pull of sore muscles across his back forced him to not move for several seconds before he dared to crack one eye open. That at least shouldn't hurt. Unless the first thing he was to see was McKay wearing a faded pink bandana tied around his head.

Trying to hold his chest still and not laugh, he reached up and tugged the cloth free, startling both of the doctors at his bedside. On closer inspection he discovered it to be a Canadian flag bandana that had apparently gone through the wash improperly and the colors had run. "Why?"

Rodney scowled, snatching it back, and stuffing the material into his pocket. "We were working on Jumper 4, remember, fixing a leaking hydraulic line? Huge mess left for us to clean up courtesy of Lorne's team's latest off world adventure."

Radek glanced between the two, more images tugging at his memories. "We were at wraith convention." He didn't miss the way Rodney glared across him to stare at Carson while swirling his finger beside his temple.

That earned McKay a nasty scowl from the Scot.

"Radek, you were in the jumper bay with Rodney when a supply crate being loaded on an upper level fell and knocked you down."

No, none of it made sense. But then again, neither did naked wraith in a hot tub. Closing his eyes, he felt himself start to drift, most likely from a hefty dose of muscle relaxant. He felt a final pat to his shoulder and the two voices began to sound further away.

"Wait until I tell Sheppard," wafted across his consciousness. McKay was never going to let him forget this. Good thing he didn't mention the trapeze artists.

A smile on his lips, he slid back to sleep.

The End.


End file.
